Friday, July 18, 2008

Nerd alert!!




Nerd is a term often bearing a derogatory connotation or stereotype, that refers to a person who passionately pursues intellectual activities, esoteric knowledge, or other obscure interests that are age inappropriate rather than engaging in more social or popular activities. Therefore, a nerd is often excluded from physical activity and considered a loner by peers

Obscure?!!!



Does that mean, I am one? :( Oh oh!! and all the while I was thinking I was being a very caring mother, one who answers the doubts unanswered by the school teachers ( wonder , how that issue will ever get solved?? ), felt very elated when I solved the math problems...i've had to study the chapters too before I let out my tirades...All the tarzanish yollering, all come to an abrupt end... :( :( :(

My son called me a 'nerd'

I was sure, being social ( I can talk to walls too...but thats the issue of being a chatterbox...) , I sometimes do dumb things like walk into walls or furniture...not always pursuing intellectual activities...I still push a door that says pull...yeah...I can be dumb too..., I stop myself from jumping and touching the branch of a tree on the roadside, ( thinking it is not age appropriate..( the auto drivers might just die narrating the incident to the next 100 drivers along the street :( ...). And I take part in some of the popular activities like watching movies or television ....I'm not a loner...I have friends too...and love each and every one of them , and keep in touch with them too.
But then why do you think I am a nerd????
Well , unit tests are on now...and somehow, my elder son assumes, the way to solving math problems are just getting the answers right...which of course the school and all their clan frowns upon...they need the steps ...and I very smartly told him that...
" How can you just write an answer, how will they know how you got to it??. When I was in school ( wrong call....totally...should have just shut up) we used to always write each step and didnt think of arguing like this"
"Huh!! You were a nerd , ma!!"
Nerd?!!!!

How do they expect us to teach them anything if we don't know anything?? But if we know it, we are nerds...wow!!! Great isn't it?
The other day, I overheard a few students in my sons' school talking...( I know, I should learn not to eavesdrop on kids....). One of the kids while watching a match was trying to write down his notes, that he had missed..( I thought that was so cool and smart, he was so responsible) , when.....
"Saw that A, what a nerd he is..so dumb, no?!!..."
Poor child, and here we mothers were sitting and wishing all our sons would at least look at their books and not run around like monkeys, convincing the principal that their teams needed cheering , so he should give them permission to watch all the matches...huh!!!

Then I read this somewhere...

Nerds are also sometimes portrayed as having symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder, such as by showing an extreme devotion to following rules.

I think I need a time out and go assess my skills at parenting and more of being a "non-nerd"...and I just need to find out what the hell this word Esoteric Knowledge means??

53 comments:

--xh-- said...

ROTFL.. so u r a nerd mom... :-D
hm.. ppl use teh term nerd without actually meaning it - unless hw cn u justify me being called nerd by more thna a couple of ppl?

Anonymous said...

hehehhe! Nerdy momie! :))

God! I dnt knw hw u make yur boy..get his steps right :D

goo done Prats :*)

aMus said...

ahh he misses out the steps? mine does too. Acc to him its a waste of time..why should he assume the teacher does not know anything,'cos she is a maths teacher, she should know how he arrived at the answer rite?!!

Sigh...they truly are living in an abbrevaited age...

so u r a 'nerd' mamma...i'm getting there...

if it wasn't that i sympathise with you thoroughly, the post was really funny...

:)

Rambler said...

I totally loved the concept of binary sudoku :)

Jaya said...

:) Next gen will always keep us in toes. This is a gen of abb and short messages. I dread what will happen to English literature or for that matter any language.

the stygian sailor said...

dont worry about your parenting skills. the problem is self correcting. the minute he realizes that he will not get marks for skipping steps and jumping to the answer, he will correct it himself. because, there will be some other kid who is getting better marks cos he wrote all the steps. i ve learnt all my math like that.
in the meantime super momma can give subtle hints about it. it works

Solitaire said...

I wonder what people think of me cos my description of myself in my blog profile is that of a NERD.

ceedy said...

hehehe

well honestly...you son is right...if she is a teacher - she should very well be aware of the steps...let alone answer ;)

nerdy mom - ahahahaha

Tys on Ice said...

:)...i hve been called a nerd too...so u kinda are in great company...personally being stupid ( i too pull every time i see a sign tht says push), i have always reveled in the glory of being termed as a nerd...so enjoy it...atleast in ur case u r truly one... :)

Shruti said...

hahaa.. cute nerd :P
btw.. binary sudoku.. ROFL!!!! =))

Madhumita said...

So its "nerd" now huh? Can't win with kids can you - btw, I'm taking notes on what to expect from my son in the near future. i intend to be well armed :D

Unknown said...

A cute lil nerd mom. It ain't that bad :P what say nerdy???

Sairekha said...

Hehehehe.. nerd, eh? I seriously think you should stop taking those two seriously. These kiddos are such smartpants, they throw the unexpected at you to get you off their backs!! :) I think they'd make better politicians than these present buncha buddas:)

But, if you're a decided nerd, I suggest you be nerdy in style! :) So I kinda found you a theme song...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=E6Zc9NyYH-k

enjai!:)

Sumana said...

Hahaha I do the push pull routine too. Funny ain't it? Just that you are getting teased by your kids. They have their times now to take it back on us. About solving math problems i remember the teacher giving us a work sheet for each test which had to be submitted along with answer paper.

Anonymous said...

Hey nerds are cool...

Scribblers Inc said...

nerds dont write that well and you do...QED!:)

Scribblers Inc

Preethi said...

haha.. Hiya Nerd.. I was more like your son in school.. and would call my mom the nerd!! So you can imagine how Cheeky is going to turn out.. I cant even tell him "When I was young I would do all my homework, or listen to my mom or do everything the teacher says" boohoo!!

Compassion Unlimitted said...

//I think I need a time out and go assess my skills at parenting //
oh come on ..Dont be such a nerd !!
Hi Hi ..when you find a place where you can reassess your parenting skills,book a seat for me and count me in there..me too need to do the same..Hi Hi
Tc
CU

Sujata Rajpal said...

I want to email to you but i am unable to find your id or any such link in either of your blogs. Am i a nerd?

Keshi said...

In that case Im a massive nerd. but certainly not a boring one. lol!

Keshi.

Prats said...

@xh You are laughing at me?!!!! Nah!! it sok...cos I know one day you'll be thru this too....and you being a nerd, might be cos you are really one??? ;)

Solitaire said...

Forgive me Prats. I wrote a story on Calm Frenzies where the main character's name is Prats.

ceedy said...

hope all is well...

just heard about the blasts

Prats said...

hey...ceedy
Yep all under control and nothing to worry. All blasts of low intensity, so nothing much to worry about.Thanks for asking.

busy-writer said...

LOL, this was so... cute. really really!
what was your instant reaction when he called you a nerd btw?

btw, hola, tis been long! :)

Prats said...

@veens....God!! better come down and tell him how to....i've lost my voice screaming in vain :(

Prats said...

@suma...When I feel the need for all these steps and the excitement in solving them right, he sure is convinced i'm bonkers...and you'll get thr too...soon....join the gang...

Prats said...

@rambler...Only wish Math were that simple and at ur face, isn't it???

Prats said...

@joy, So true....in this season of txtng and chats, language has taken a backseat...adn thats very sad.

Prats said...

@stygian...hey that was so nice to hear...and from a youngsters point of view...So I can still live on hope...you turned out well...and how!!! :D

Prats said...

@solitaire :D lol...then maybe you should just stay away from teaching these sms kids...you'll be safe

Prats said...

@ceedy...but Its the discipline in doing something, which I wanted stressed upon...but kids have their own mind...and I sure didnt call my parents a nerd when they cleared my doubts :(

Prats said...

@tys thank you 'partner in arms'....the nerd gang to the rescue I see...
But being a nerd is I think far better than dumb!!! what do u think?

Prats said...

@shruthi :) Thanku...that person who made the concept is a true nerd..now i'm convinced..

Prats said...

@madhu So true...:( Its a no win situation...but nerd?!!! and you're going to really get scandalised with the way kids think now...

Prats said...

@j haha...thank you. :)

Prats said...

@ziah *These kiddos are such smartpants, they throw the unexpected at you to get you off their backs* oh yes they are and i'm left feeling a complete ass....Thanks for the entertainment addition....enjoyed the song

Prats said...

@sumana I rememebr doing those sheet things too...but now times have changed I guess...

@dani..hey welcome here...thank you, now I 'm feeling all proud... :D

Prats said...

@scribblers...welcome aboard!!! And thank you, thank you...but I needed to look up what QED was??? Am I ancient or dumb now??? :(

Prats said...

@preethi...Just got back from reading your post...and methinks I should hide my kids while ur around... :)

Prats said...

@compassion....aiyooo...all flop, they will never start a place like that I know....they're content leaving us in such a silly state

Prats said...

@sujata...hey...the id is on the profile...isn't it??? And no...your not a nerd...

Prats said...

@sujata...ooops I just checked and the mail id isn't there...so i'll mail it to u...

Prats said...

@keshi...you are???? a very interesting one and a sure entertainer i'm sure...not in the least nerdy as we are :(

Prats said...

@solitaire...chill...not an issue at all....I 'm sure there are more with this name..but you can stay 'unworried'...I wont sue you...

Prats said...

@busywriter....yes!! its been quite a while...And I was seething, and laughing inside too....

rayshma said...

LOL!! :D
heyy... better nerd than 'u-know-nothing'... no?

btw, i also believe - and ardently support thy son - on missing out steps. in fact, i wouldn't mind missing out math altogether!

Jaya said...

Prats, Finally finished your tag. Hop over and see. :)

Compassion Unlimitted said...

Hi,hope everything is fine with you there in bengaluru.Sorry about the happenings
TC
CU

Preeti Shenoy said...

LOL.
My son too does not show the steps in math..He had division of larhe numbers--something like 25,432divided by 38.He does the calculation of table of 38 in his head. His teacher cuts marks as no calculations are shown.
As for me, i se no point in making them do such crazy figures--what are calculators for?!!
I find him calling you a nerd too hilarious :D
Sorry--couldn't stop smiling.

Lena said...

i think NERD has a lot of positive sense in it, we like people to be stereotyped hence all these words to fit everyone into suitable category so that we would know how to deal with them.

WhatsInAName said...

LOLOL!
I am there with you on push-pull and walking into the walls and furnitures. No way, we are not dumb, we are just caring but absent minded and preoccupied moms :P
BTW, on a different note, I have been called retro by my kids!!!

Nikhil Narayanan said...

Prats,
I personally am against steps in solutions unless I am reading the solution in a book of solved problems.

I hated it when teachers asked for steps! Like how can I get the answer without solving, unless of course I copy it from somebody else.

-Nikhil